Hot Rod
by twonkout
Summary: Rod has booked Valentine's Day off work, so that he can spend the day with his secret sweetheart. And Nicky wakes up early to surprise Rod & ensure that his stressed out bestest buddy feels special & safe, no matter what happens in the future. Disclaimer: Avenue Q and the characters Rod & Nicky were created by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx.


**AUTHOR'S NOTES :**

****** Valentine's Day Special

=== Mini-prequel set in the same Avenue Q Universe as my **_Taking The Nicky _**fanfic.

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_**Story Summery**_

_Rod has booked Valentine's Day off work, so that he can spend the day with his secret sweetheart. And Nicky wakes up early to surprise Rod & ensure that his stressed out bestest buddy feels special & safe, no matter what happens in the future._

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****** Modification date in the format (Year-Month-Day)

**Modified (2020-01-21****)**

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**** TRIGGER WARNING ****

=== Chapter references childhood emotional, physical & spiritual abuse.

=== Chapter contains brief references to internalized homophobia.

=== Chapter contains mild references to sexual activities.

=== So please feel free to skip this one, if these aren't things you feel up to reading about. *Hugs all*

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_**Chapter One - Blanket Fever**_

_Still struggling to accept his sexual orientation, Rod decides to experiment on his day off. However, with Nicky around, his 'extracurricular study session' comes to an abrupt, yet surprisingly arousing end! _

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**01 - BLANKET FEVER**

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**\- IN ROD & NICKY'S BEDROOM -**

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It was a Tuesday, the middle of the workweek, just gone 9am. Usually Rod would be slaving away on _Wall Street_ by this time on a workday. However, it was a special day. The date being 14th February to be exact. And Rod had taken a day off for once. Not because it was supposedly the most romantic day of the year. Not because he wanted to snuggle up in his chair, and silently swoon over his secret sweetheart for his Valentine's Day treat! No. Don't be silly! Of course those weren't the reasons he had booked this specific day off five months in advance! Because if those were the reasons he had abandoned his important post on _Wall Street_ to indulge in an unnecessary uneventful day at home, that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?

Rod gazed lovingly at the green muppet sprawled out on top of the bed next to him. He sighed wistfully, 'Gosh Nicky, why do you look so heavenly, even when you're drooling down your t-shirt like _Homer Simpson?_ I mean, seriously, look at the state of you! With that filthy, chocolate stained, tatty white top, and bulging beer belly, you look like _Shrek_ for Christ's sake! And yet…' He could feel the romantic butterflies multiply in his stomach. 'And yet, I just want to leap on top of you and kiss you all over, all day!'

Rod gulped and screwed his eyes shut. 'Damn it! What the hell is wrong with me?! Maybe my mother is right. Maybe the devil does curse homosexuals to ensure they succumb to their sinful temptations. Because I'm forever fantasizing about my male roommate. Worse, I'm forever fantasizing about my innocent, oblivious, kind, caring, yet blatantly _straight_ best friend!' He shivered. 'Straight.' He could feel the sharpness of the word cut through his poor battered heart, as it echoed painfully around his vulnerable squishy brain.

'I wish I was straight.' Rod thought sadly, 'Maybe I am straight, deep down? Maybe all this Nicky love is just a phase, just a long, very intense phase. Yes, a phase, that's all it is. Must be. Just a _phase.'_ He kept repeating the key word in his mind, hoping and praying that if he thought it enough times, it might somehow become true.

Rod glanced at his zonked out roommate again. 'Oh Nicky, why do I love you so much?' He sighed heavily, sadness washing over his poor aching soul. However, he didn't want to waste his day off wallowing in despair, so he did his best to snap himself into a more positive mood. 'I'm 22 for heaven's sake! I need to get those heterosexual hormones pumping!' He thought, a new sense of determination sweeping through his veins.

Rod checked Nicky was still asleep, bit his lip, and slowly slid open the nightstand drawer to reveal his friend's greasy, crumpled and chocolate smeared _Playboy _magazine. 'Maybe if I try looking at some naked women again? Maybe the sight of some voluptuous bosoms will coax my heterosexuality out of hiding?' He gulped hard, as his face twisted at the distasteful sight of the female model dressed in highly revealing mesh underwear on the cover. He clamped his eyelids shut again. Far from evoking pleasurable sensations, the image only seemed to trigger deeply painful memories.

Still, Rod forced himself to reopen his eyes. He had to give women another chance, didn't he? 'Maybe seeing some vaginas adorned with frilly lace will help the buried straightness emerge from the depths of my subconscious?' He bit his lip harder still, as he shuddered in disgust at the thought.

Rod hadn't so much as glimpsed a naked woman in years. Back in his youth, back in the senior year of high school and even in his early college days, of course he had experimented several times. Many a night staring intensely at photos of naked ladies hoping that something magical would awaken within him, hoping that he would discover his dormant heterosexuality. But nothing.

All the frustration led to nothing, other than the accumulation of many unanswered questions in Rod's mind. Questions like, 'What was he missing in the images that seemed so arousing to his male peers? What on Earth was all the fuss about? Why did teenage boys obsessively scrutinize a woman's bosom and buttocks? Why did men lust after slender female legs? Why the hell did straight guys prattle on incessantly about _va-jay-jays __a_nd the importance of a proper _Bikini wax?'_ The thought of such things made Rod feel nothing, except maybe somewhat queasy and decidedly uneasy.

Still, Rod tentatively reached out his hand to pick up the grubby booklet. He sighed, as he slowly opened it up to the first page. 'I wish these magazines came with instructions on how to get aroused.' He thought, as he felt a surge of revulsion rise up from the pit of his stomach.

Not that Rod didn't see any beauty in the feminine body shape, quite the contrary. Because he adored the elegant dresses flaunted by the actresses in his beloved musicals. Indeed, all the latest fashion trends, especially fashion trends for women, fascinated Rod. And whenever Kate invited him over to help her choose an outfit for a special occasion he was flattered. However, when it came to more intimate feminine attire, that level of interest took a sharp dive to practically zero.

Rod frowned, as he intensified his concentration on the images before him. He was just about to check to see if the lewd erotic images of the female form were having any impact at all on his nether regions… When an explosive fit of chuckles nearly startled him out of his skin!

"Jeez Rod! I didn't know you were a secret _Playboy_ fan buddy!" Nicky held up his phone to record the ensuing panic attack of his mortified roommate. "Especially cuz… Gee… Um, what's that you're always complainin' 'bout? Oh yeah, that it's a perverted leaflet of depravity, that belongs in the trashcan!" He grinned at his shocked roommate. "I mean jeez, you're always tellin' me how _inappropriate _that magazine is and all! How come you changed your mind all of a sudden? Did your little Rod wand get curious or somethin'?" He spluttered out another collection of chuckles.

"Nicky, I um… It's not what you think! I was just… Gah! Stop filming me!" Rod immediately dropped the magazine onto the floor and dived under his covers.

Nicky continued to laugh, "I'm not recordin' buddy, promise." He tried his best to keep a straight face, but he couldn't! This moment was just too funny not to document! "Gee Rod, why don't you come out from under there and tell me all about your newfound hobby, yeah? Come on, buddy! I need to hear all the dirty details!"

Rod screeched, "Nicky stop! Please! I _know_ you're filming me!"

Nicky confessed, "Okay, maybe I felt compelled to film you for a few seconds. But just a few seconds is all! I promise! Look, don't worry, I'm not streaming or nothin'!" He did his best to subdue his chuckles, and switched to a more serious tone, "And I promise buddy, I won't upload the video to _YouTube_ or nothin'! Honestly Rod, you have my word, yeah?" He lifted the duvet to coax his mortally embarrassed roommate out from his hiding spot. But Rod immediately tugged the sheet even more tightly down over his head.

Still in a state of shock, his voice somewhat muffled by the duvet, Rod muttered, "Nicky! How could you?! Why are you even awake?! You never normally wake up 'til gone eleven! Often twelve!"

Nicky bounced onto the exposed end of Rod's mattress and lifted the blanket. He felt like a little kid again, as he scrambled under the covers and crawled into the mound of sheets that housed his friend.

Rod buried his head under his pillow, to avoid the camera on Nicky's phone capturing any more of his embarrassing facial expressions. However, this didn't bother his mischievous friend! Because the footage Nicky was capturing of Rod looking like an ostrich with its head in the sand, was more than sufficient to keep him entertained for days!

Rod grumbled through his cushion barrier, "Nicky! Please! I wish I was at work!" He curled his body up into a ball and sniffed loudly.

Instantly, Nicky realized that he had taken his teasing a little too far, so he stopped recording and put his phone back into sleep mode. "Gee, I'm sorry Rod. Look, I promise I've stopped filmin' now, yeah? So please buddy, please come out from there and talk to me. You know how happy I am that you took a day off work for once and all." Nicky's face entered a momentary state of flux, his briefly somber expression quickly switching back to his typical excited grin, as he remembered his original reason for waking up early. "Hey Rod! I know what'll cheer you up! I got a surprise for you, buddy! And jeez, I know you're gonna love it!"

Rod continued to sniff from under the pillow, still too scared to let down his guard in case this was just another one of Nicky's ploys. He really didn't want to be recorded right now! "Nicky please, I told you I didn't want to appear on your video vlogs or anything! I thought you understood."

Nicky suddenly felt very guilty. He knew his friend was highly sensitive to teasing, but sometimes he just couldn't resist! "Rod, jeez, I'm sorry buddy." Nicky hugged around his friend. However, when that had no effect, he began lightly stroking his roommate's back and arms over his pajamas. Still no response. So he planted a few soft kisses on the exposed part of Rod's neck and slowly traced out the letters of the word _'sorry'_ at the top of his back. Surely, these reassuring kisses and touches would finally coax Rod out of his hidey-hole, wouldn't they?

Rod gulped, 'Shit! This feels _way_ too good! What the Hell are you doing Nicky?! Gah! Sweet suffering Jesus, why do you always do this to me?! Why are you kissing me on the neck like that for Christ's sake?! I swear, sometimes I think you've been put on this Earth purely to torment me!'

Rod always wore extra-long, thick, highly opaque pajama shirts, so he knew Nicky was unlikely to accidentally glimpse his scars. However, every time Nicky gently caressed and kissed him, it caused pleasurable tingles to ripple across his skin and… 'Oh no! Not now! Please not now!' Rod tightened his curled up formation to ensure that any signs of his inappropriate arousal were completely concealed. "Nicky please! Just give me a few minutes peace, yeah? I forgive you okay! I promise I forgive you. So no more sloppy kisses needed! I just um… Need a couple of moments to myself. You understand, yes?"

Nicky sighed heavily, as he slowly edged away from Rod and back into the sunlight streaking through the gap in the curtain. He looked down and his eyes widened to see that he still had a somewhat embarrassing case of _'morning wood'_. "Oops." He muttered as he stumbled to his feet. "Sorry, buddy. Didn't mean to…" Nicky trailed off, not wanting to add to his bashful friend's feeling of humiliation any more.

The room fell silent a moment, before Nicky began rambling again, "Look, tell you what Rod, why don't you have a rest, yeah? Enjoy my magazine all you want! Seriously buddy, I don't mind! And I promise I'll never film you again without asking you first, okay?" He paused, hoping for a response, but nothing, so he continued to prattle on, "Anywho, while you're um… You know, gettin' in some much-deserved pleasure on your day off and all… I'll jump in the shower quick, and make myself all clean and adorable for the day, yeah? Then after that, I'll show you the surprise I got for you and all, right? Sound like a plan?" He grabbed his bathrobe and wrapped it around himself.

Still with his head firmly buried under his pillow, Rod took in a deep breath, before he replied, "Yes. That sounds like a plan Nicky. Um…" Being very careful to keep his shame hidden, Rod slowly peeked his head out. "I'm sorry, Nicky. I, um… I should have…" He struggled to complete the sentence. But luckily, Nicky knew his friend well enough to read between the lines.

"Nah. Don't be silly Rod! It's cool. Really. I'm sorry. I um, I just wasn't expectin' to see you… Um, lookin' at that, is all." He smiled down at his nervous roommate. "I'll um, I'll delete the video, yeah?" Nicky held out his phone so Rod could see the screen and deleted the video in front of his friend's eyes.

Rod smiled up at Nicky, relieved to know that there was no longer any video evidence of his highly embarrassing episode of failed sexual experimentation. "Thanks. Thank you, Nicky. I… I um, I appreciate it."

"No problem, buddy." Nicky beamed, 'Jeez, Rod looks so cute, peeking out from the covers like that.' He felt a sudden strange intense urge to kiss his blushing roommate, but he resisted. He knew trying to kiss Rod now would only upset him again. And he really didn't want to fall out with his best friend on one of his very rare days off work!

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**\- THIRTY MINUTES LATER -**

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After both Rod and Nicky had gotten themselves washed and dressed for the day, they reconvened back in the bedroom, each sitting on the edge of their respective beds. The _Playboy_ magazine still lay crumbled on the floor where Rod had left it, untouched since its starring role in his earlier embarrassing incident.

Nicky beamed wildly, as he leaned over to pull out a card and a haphazardly wrapped parcel from under his bed. "Jeez Rod! I gotta give you this buddy! Happy Valentine's Day and all!"

Rod's eyes widened at the sight, and his brow wrinkled slightly in bemusement. However, he knew Nicky had always been a super soppy guy, who frequently jumped on any opportunity to surprise someone with a present and a home-made card. So it wasn't a total shock reveal.

This wasn't even the first time Nicky had surprised Rod with a gift on Valentine's Day, thus Rod was somewhat prepared for the gesture. Usually Rod was busy studying or working when February 14th rolled around, or Nicky had a girlfriend, so often the day went unacknowledged by the two best friends. However, luckily for Rod, Nicky hadn't had a girlfriend in some time.

"Aww, Nicky! You really shouldn't have!" Rod felt his heart melt from passionate excitement, as his thoughtful roommate bounded over to him with his surprises. "I, um, I got you a little something too." Rod admitted, as he quickly retrieved a small, thin, neatly wrapped rectangular shaped parcel from under his bed.

The two friends smiled lovingly at each other, as they exchanged their gifts. Although, Rod put his gift and card from Nicky aside for a moment, because he was desperate to see if his roommate approved of his present.

"Jeez Rod, you didn't have to get me anythin' buddy!" Naturally, Nicky's childlike enthusiasm took hold and he rushed to tear open his parcel first! He hadn't expected his stressed out friend to get him a gift, so he was super excited to see what was underneath the wrapping paper!

"I think that's the game you were talking about? I hope I got it right?" Rod asked hesitantly, but he needn't have worried, because Nicky immediately started jumping around the room at the sight of his gift.

"Oh my God! I mean, oh my Rod! _Dark Souls 3!_ Yes! Awesome! Thank you so much Rod! Jeez, I love you so much buddy! So so much! Woo! Woohoo! I've been waiting so long to play this game! You have no idea! All my subscribers want to see me play through it too!" Nicky planted a long sloppy kiss on the side of Rod's cheek, before he continued to jabber, "It's been almost a year since it was first released now you know. So I'm kinda late to the party and all. But…" He shrugged, "Well, jeez, my subscribers don't watch my channel for my punctuality!" He winked and grinned wildly at his friend.

A huge smile spread across Rod's face, although he quickly wiped the slobber from his cheek with a handkerchief. "I'm glad you like it. I was worried that I might have gotten the wrong one?" Rod's smile went wonky for a moment.

"Nah! You did awesome! Jeez, I love it buddy! I really really love it! In fact, I love it so much, that we have to play it together buddy! I wanna watch you play it today!" Nicky shot Rod a somewhat cheeky, mischievous grin. He knew that his gaming illiterate roommate would struggle to play through even the tutorial level on such a notoriously difficult game.

The surprises Nicky had prepared for Rod's Valentine's Day treat still sat untouched on the Investment Banker's perfectly made bed. However, because his eyes were still utterly transfixed by Nicky's excited celebratory dance, Rod had barely glanced at them yet.

"Jeez Rod, you haven't seen my card and gift yet! Come on, buddy! Let me show you!" Nicky grabbed his home-made card and flipped it over to show Rod the picture he had drawn on the front. "Look, buddy! It's me and you!"

Rod's brow wrinkled into a frown, as he carefully examined Nicky's somewhat childish doodles, "That's supposed to be us? Really, Nicky?! Because it looks like that um… Space army guy, from that _Halo_ game you're always playing, and his, um, blue holographic assistant? Is that right?"

Nicky frowned back, "Yeah, but it's us as those characters, Rod! See, that's me as _Master Chief!_" He pointed to the goofy grin he had drawn on the man dressed in green armor. "And that's you! You as _Cortana!_ See, I drew the holographic assistant as a guy with glasses and gave him your cute hair quiff! You help me on all my missions, give me coordinates and stuff!"

Rod's frown persisted, "Hmm. So I'm _your_ assistant am I?!" He rolled his eyes, "Nice. Real nice Nicky! Surely that should be the other way round!" However, Rod wasn't really mad, and he couldn't help but giggle. "Look, thank you! I appreciate the thought." As always, Nicky's thoughtfulness genuinely touched him. Even if, he was slightly miffed to have been designated as _'Nicky's Assistant'_ in the image!

"Come on, Rod! Surely by now you know you've always been the _Cortana_ to my _Master Chief!"_ Nicky winked and beamed at his best friend of 13 years.

Rod smiled back at him. He could feel the warm fuzzy feelings inside his heart intensify, and the romantic butterflies multiplying exponentially in his stomach. "Yes. Yes, you have Nicky." He agreed earnestly.

Nicky lifted his inexpertly wrapped gift from where it sat next to Rod and handed it to him with another broad smile. "Here, buddy. I've seen how stressed out you are lately at work and all. And well… Jeez, I feel like you need this."

Rod shot Nicky a quizzical look, 'What on Earth has that dopey muppet got for me this time?' He thought, before his anxiety migrated to his lips, "I swear, this better not be another silly novelty tie Nicky!" However, as soon as he looked down at the gift and squeezed the round squishy present in his hands, he knew instantly that it most likely wasn't an item of clothing.

"Nah. I promise buddy. It's not a tie. It's um… Somethin' I got to protect you, when I'm not around. I was kinda hopin' you'd take him to work with you, to watch over you. But, gee, I know you won't. Still, you can keep him next to you when you're here at home, yeah?"

Rod's face contorted into an even more puzzled expression, as he slowly began stripping away the creased and crinkled blue sparkly wrapping paper. At first he wasn't even sure what he was looking at. However, after a brief inspection of the oddly shaped, velvety green object, he soon realized what it was, and his heart beat faster still. "Gosh, Nicky… It's a…"

Nicky grinned and nodded, "Yeah, that's right. I got you a _Master Chief_ to cuddle up to at night. He can watch over you and protect you and all, even when I'm zonked to the world, yeah? Course I'll step in for cuddles whenever you want too! But jeez, I know how much you love your personal space and all… So…"

Rod could feel tears welling up in his eyes. But he knew crying upon receiving a gift, especially a gift depicting such a testosterone-infused symbol of red-blooded, heterosexual manhood wouldn't be a very _'straight friend'_ thing to do! So he did his best to keep his tears at bay. "Nicky, I um… Thank you. I'll um, keep it next to me on the nightstand, yes." He really wanted to hug his friend, to show just how grateful he truly was to receive such a touching and thoughtful gift. However, he knew he needed to control his urges. After all, he'd already had one close call today!

Nicky's face dropped slightly, as Rod sat the _Master Chief_ plushie on the table. "Rod, jeez, you're supposed to snuggle up with it in bed!"

Rod rolled his eyes, "Nicky I'm not a kid anymore you know!"

Nicky sighed heavily, as he handed the soft toy back to his friend, "Just promise me that you'll hug it when you need someone to cuddle and I'm not around, yeah? You promise, right? Cuz, I need to know you always have someone there for you, no matter what Rod. And course I'll always be here buddy! That's a given! But jeez, I know someday I may not be there when you need me most." Nicky rested his clean green hands on top of his roommate's silky soft blue ones, as Rod instinctively clung onto the plushie space hero.

It was becoming more and more difficult for Rod to hold back his tears for some reason. He nodded, but kept is actual response short and sweet, "Um, yes." He was afraid he might break down into a full-blown happy sobbing fit if he said anymore! So he sat the plushie _Master Chief_ against his pillow, and did his best to change the topic of conversation back to something more light-hearted in nature. "I suppose _Cortana_ will be cooking _Master Chief_ dinner again tonight?" Rod raised an eyebrow at his lazy roommate.

Nicky chuckled, "Well, jeez Rod. I considered makin' you my Mum's special lasagna again. But um… Well, I thought maybe you'd like to go out for dinner for once? Since it's your day off and all? Anywho, I'll let you decide."

Rod was very surprised by Nicky's offer to cook, "Really Nicky?! _You_ are going to make the dinner?!" He almost choked on his own shock.

"Well yeah. Jeez Rod! I have cooked for you before you know!" Nicky looked slightly miffed by Rod's over the top response.

"Okay, well, that would be very nice." Rod did his best to suppress his increasingly lively giggles. "So, um… You have all the ingredients ready I take it? The pasta sheets, the mince, the sauces, the cheese?"

Nicky gulped hard and his eyes widened in horror, as he realized he was completely unprepared to make good on his offer. "Um… Oops." He muttered, before he too began laughing at his own ineptitude.

Rod rolled his eyes, "Okay. I guess we could go out for dinner later then? The _Around The Clock Café maybe?_" He suggested, before he quickly added, "Not too late though, I've got work tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah." Nicky grabbed hold of Rod's arms and gently pulled him upwards and onto his feet, "Now let's play _Dark Souls 3!_ I wanna see how far you can get before you ask me to take over!"

Rod gazed directly into Nicky's excited eyes for a moment, "You can take over." He said bluntly.

"Jeez Rod! You're no fun! Come on buddy! I promise you'll love playin' it! Well, I promise I'll love watchin' you play it at least!" He shot Rod another very cheeky grin.

Rod threw his arms into the air to indicate his surrender, "Fine! You win! But I'm only going to play for a short while! And I swear, if it starts annoying me like that last one you made me play I'm done Nicky! Done playing video games for good I mean!"

"It um…" Nicky wanted to reassure Rod that the game wouldn't make him irritable, but he knew full well that it would! "Just come on buddy! I'll teach you how to become an expert like me in no time! Promise!"

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**AUTHOR'S NOTES :**

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****** All comments & criticisms welcome. I'm a huge Rod & Nicky fan, so I just write about them for fun! =)

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**** **I've tried to ensure this fic is written in American English, with US slang & terminology etc to fit the theme.

=== Thus, hopefully it's never noticeable. But alas, I'm British. So sorry for any slip-ups!

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****** Also I apologize for any poor grammar!

=== I confess, some of my grammatical errors have become part of _'my style'_ in a weird grammatically incorrect way! Because I can't bring myself to change certain grammar mistakes, even though I know they are technically wrong! And yes, I'm mainly referring to the dialogue tags! Because the correct way, just looks odd to me now for some weird reason! Still, I apologize if it bugs anyone! =/

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****** Thanks goes to NitrusOxide, FranBMan & Ted-Drakness, from deviantArt.

=== As it was reading their stories that initially inspired me to have a go at writing my own Rod/Nicky fic!


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